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Uncle Dave’s Ultimate NFL Draft Primer

With the NFL draft less than two weeks away, there are some things you need to know. In no particular order of importance:

• Teams lie and mislead when openly and privately talking about prospects.

• After the top 4-5 picks, it is a total crapshoot.

• Fans and media truly have no idea what teams are thinking.

• Teams often go against their own better judgment when selecting players.

• Who a player’s agent is DOES impact selections.

• Draft analysts piggyback each other in making their predictions.

• Almost all analysts get their information about prospects from “inside sources” rather than film study.

• Fans and media generally don’t know what teams’ biggest needs are. (Sure, we generally know if a team is desperate for a quarterback, but otherwise we’re in the dark because all teams are quietly developing young players, planning to cut and try to trade “name” players whose careers or going downhill or “hiding” players who are overcoming nagging injuries.)

• Speed usually trumps quickness in selecting players.

• Talent trumps character and the Wonderlic test score 95 percent of the time.

• The Jaguars’ Gene Smith isn’t the only general manager who looks for hidden gems at small schools mainly to pad his resume and ego. Every GM and coach think they’re the smartest guy in the NFL.

• Most teams take the “best player available” because teams never have too many good players at any position, including quarterback.